Ball projecting and catching device



July 16, 1968 w. H. WIEST, JR

BALL PROJECTING AND CATCHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 5, 1966 July 16, 1968 w. H. WIEST, JR 3,392,978

BALL PROJECTING AND CATCHING DEVICE Filgd March 5, 196(5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jaye/afar. Zk/do J. zfl/ J2? United States Patent 3,392,978 BALL PROJECTING AND CATCl-IING DEVICE Waldo H. Wiest, In, 3115 Greenbriar Drive, Glenview, Ill. 60025 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 444,155,

Mar. 31, 1965. This application Mar. 3, 1966, Ser.

Claims. (Cl. 273-96) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention comprises a hand held projecting and catching device for maintaining a ball in a continuous orbit. It includes a catching portion disposed atop a delivery chute. and terminating in a tossing spoon having an angularly disposed front wall which projects the ball backwardly toward the catching portion when the spoon is quickly elevated.

This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 444,155, filed Mar. 31, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a game apparatus, and more pabrtilclzularly to a game apparatus for tossing and catching a a The principal object of the present invention is to provide a highly entertaining game which functions in a novel manner and which can be utilized to develop the muscular coordination and skill of the child or other player. A more specific object is to provide a novel game apparatus or toy which can be used for tossing and catching a ball without the player touching the ball. Still another object is to provide a game apparatus or toy of the character described where the ball during part of the game disappears from sight, thereby heightening the interest and expectancy of the player. Further objects and advantages will be indicated in the following detailed specification.

These and other objectives of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a first embodiment of the game apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the game apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a detailed sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the game apparatus in use.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown in FIG. 1 a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The game apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes an arcuate, downwardly extending, ball transfer passage or channel 12. As shown, the channel 12 extends downwardly, but also forwardly, the forward extent being greater than the downward extent and the curvature being upwardly concave, that is when viewed from above. A-generally funnel shaped catching receptacle 14 is connected to the ball transfer passage or channel 12 by means of an arcuate guide wall 16. A tossing means 18 is connected to a lower end portion of the ball transfer passage or channel 12. The tossing means is upwardly concave to form a tossing cup or spoon 20 which, as will be explained in greater detail subsequently, is utilized as a ball tossing receptacle. A forward wall 22 of the tossing spoon guides the initial upward trajectory of m3 3,392,978 lc Patented July 16, 1968 a ball B as the ball is launched from the tossing spoon portion 20. The game apparatus 10 is manipulated, when playing the game, by means of a handle 24 which is connected to the wall 16 at the lower end portion of receptacle 14 and the upper end portion of the ball transfer passage or channel 12. As shown, the handle 24 can have its inner upper portion extend along the lower portion of receptacle 14.

When playing with the game apparatus 10, the player grasps the handle 24 and places the ball B on the tossing platform 18. The player then snaps the handle 24 downwardly, with a sharp pivoting action. The pivoting of the game apparatus 10, about the upper end portion of the handle 24, will cause the tossing platform 18 to rise sharply upward in an arcuate path. The ball B will be propelled upwardly by the tossing platform. When the snapping pivotal movement of the handle 24 is suddenly stopped, the inertia forces on the ball B will cause the ball to roll forwardly and upwardly into the spoon area 20 of the tossing platform 18 (see FIG. 7). The forward wall 22 of the tossing spoon 20 will cause the ball to follow an initially curving upward trajectory. The ball B, by its inertia from the snapping action, continues on an upwardly curved path away from the tossing platform 18. By skillfully manipulating the game apparatus, the airborne ball may be caught in the catching receptacle 14.

The game apparatus 10 is formed of two continuously curving wall portions 28 and 30 which are connected together in a continuous seam 32 on a lower outer portion of the game apparatus (see FIG. 2). The curved sidewalls 28 and 30 are joined together at the inner seam 34 on the inside of the catching receptacle 14. The two sidewalls 28 and 30 are also joined together at a seam 40 formed between two inwardly extending ears or tabs 36 and 38 at the juncture or outlet between the tossing platform 18 and the ball transfer passage or channel 12. In the preferred embodiment, the sidewalls 28 and 30 are made of a suitable thermoplastic, such as a polyethylene or polypropylene.

An oblong aperture 42 is positioned between the inwardly extending ears or tabs 36 and 38 and the catching receptacle 14. The aperture 42 permits the user of the game apparatus to view the ball B as it rolls from the catching receptacle downwardly to the tossing platform 18. While the oblong aperture 42 extends for only a por tion of the length of the channel or ball transfer passage 12, it is contemplated that the aperture 42 could be continued upwardly into the sidewall of the funnel shaped catching receptacle 14.

The upwardly curved walls of the two side members 28 and 30 substantially surround the ball B in the ball transfer passage or channel 12 (see FIG. 4). On the other hand, the side walls 28 and 30 at the tossing platform 18 extend upwardly, to form a relatively wide outlet aperture 43, and do not enclose the ball B. Thus, the enveloping sidewalls 28 and 30 will prevent the ball from being displaced through the aperture 42 in the ball transfer channel or passage. However, at the tossing platform 18 the sidewalls 28 and 30 do not enclose the ball B, and the ball can be tossed or launched upwardly through the relatively wide outlet aperture 43.

The catching receptacle 14 has a substantially horizontal upper edge portion 44 which forms a generally oval ball receiving inlet 46 (see FIG. 2) which is connected by the continuous arcuate wall 16 to the ball transfer passage or channel 12. When the ball B enters the mouth or inlet 46 of the catching receptacle 14, the ball will contact the arcuate wall surface 16 and roll smoothly downwardly into the channel 12. The ball will then as previously men tioned, roll to the tossing platform where it will be automatically positioned for another round or cycle of movement on its circuitous route.

When the game apparatus is in its normal position, with the top edge of receptacle 14 approximately horizontal, as shown in FIG. 7, the handle 24 will be positioned with its lowermost portion 50 slightly above the uppermost position of the tossing spoon 20. When the handle is pivoted or snapped downwardy for a distance X, to toss or launch the ball upwardly from the tossing spoon 18, the tossing spoon 20 will move to a position, shown by dotted lines in FIG. 7, substantially above the lower edge portion 50 of the handle 24. It has been found, through experimentation, that the optimum position for the handle 24 is with the longitudinal axis 52 of the handle approximately perpendicular to a tangent 54 to the lower surface of the channel or ball transfer passage 12. As shown, when the top of receptacle 14 is approximately horizontal the hand grip portion of handle 24 will extend downwardly and rearwardly opposite the upper portion of channel 12. The wall 22 is preferably related to handle 24 so that the wall extends approximately vertically when raised to a position on the same level as handle 24, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7. In its lower position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 7, the wall 22 extends upwardly and slightly forwardly. For the desired continuous movement, wall 22 can form an acute angle of approximately 45 with a tangent to the underside of the tossing end portion 20, as also shown in FIG. 7. As can readily be seen, if the tossing spoon portion 20 is elevated above the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7, such as to a level as high as the top of receptacle 14, the wall 22 will be inclined inwardly or rearwardly, that is, in the direction of receptacle 14.

METHOD OF OPERATION The operation of the game apparatus shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 was indicated in the foregoing discussion. For purposes of clarity, however, the method of operation will be briefly described in connection with this preferred embodiment.

As previously mentioned, at the start of the game the ball B can be placed in the tossing spoon 18. The player can hold the game apparatus with one hand, by the handle 24, in the general alignment shown in solid lines in FIG. 7. By raising the tossing platform 18, with a snapping or jerking motion of the handle 24, the ball B is launched on a curved trajectory into the air, upwardly and rearwardly or inwardly toward receptacle 14. The player then can catch the descending ball in the catching receptacle 14. As soon as the ball is caught, it falls downwardly through the receptacle 14 into the transfer passage or channel 12. The ball will roll smoothly through the pas sage or channel 12 onto the tossing platform 18 where it will again be in position to be launched in a circuitous path in the same manner as previously described. This permits a continuous movement of the ball while maintaining receptacle 14 and handle 24 in about the same position with reference to the hand and body of the player, the principal movement required being only the up and down receiprocation of spoon 20.

While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to two specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible of other embodiments, and that cer tain of the details described herein can be varied considerably, without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A game apparatus for tossing and catching a ball capable of maintaining the ball in a continuous curved path with a minimum of movement of the catching portion thereof, comprising in combination:

(a) a horizontally forward and downwardly extending arcuate channel portion providing a smooth, continuous ball transfer passage therethrough from its upper inner end to its lower forward end,

4 said channel portion having a substantially greater horizontally forward extent than its downward extent in the normal catching position of said apparatus and in the normal tossing position thereof;

(b) an upwardly-extending, funnel-shaped catching receptacle portion connected to the upper end of said channel portion,

said receptacle portion having an enlarged open top for receiving said ball and a reduced lower end for passing the ball into the upper end of said channel portion;

(c) a handle providing a hand grip portion extending rearwardly from the rear side of said apparatus,

the forward end of said handle being connected to said apparatus adjacent said receptacle portion;

(d) an upwardly concave tossing spoon portion connected to the lower end of said channel portion at a level below said handle hand grip portion in said normal tossing position,

said spoon portion having an open inner end for receiving a ball from said ball transfer passage and a closed outer end providing a ball deflecting wall extending transversely across said spoon portion in the path of said ball, said wall being inclined upwardly and forwardly in said normal catching position and approximately vertically in said normal tossing position.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said channel and spoon portions provide a continuous arcuate wall for guiding the downward movement of said ball, the bottom of said arcuate wall curving upwardly and forwardly from the lower end of said channel portion along said spoon portion to said ball deflecting wall, and said wall being positioned at approximately a 45 angle to a tangent to said arcuate wall bottom at the point of inter section of said wall therewith.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said handle is' connected to the bottom of the upper end of said channel portion, and said hand grip portion extends rearwardly and downwardly therefrom, the longitudinal axis of said handle being at approximately a right angle to a tangent to said bottom wall at the point of intersection of said axis therewith.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said handle is connected to the lower end of said receptacle portion, and said hand grip portion extends rearwardly and downwardly opposite the upper end of said channel portion, and in which said tossing spoon portion is approximately on the same horizontal level as said hand grip portion in said normal tossing position.

5. The combination of claim 1 in which the bottoms of said receptacle, channel, and spoon portions provide a continuous arcuate wall for guiding the downward movement of said ball, and said handle is positioned with its longitudinal axis at approximately a right angle to a tangent to said arcuate wall at the point of intersection of said axis therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,022,186 4/1912 Engler 27396 1,582,811 4/1926 Adler 27396 2,227,705 1/1941 Colucci 273-96 2,242,450 5/ 1941 Carballal 27396 2,510,403 6/1950 Krupp 273-96 2,754,123 7/1956 Davidson 77397 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner. 

